


Rosé

by SkeletalConstellation



Series: Blood and Booze AU [2]
Category: Cookie Run (Video Game)
Genre: ... if you wanna be friends hmu i need people, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Anyways, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bartenders, Blood and Violence, Character Turned Into Vampire, Childhood Trauma, Dark Enchantress is a dick, Fear of Death, Idiots in Love, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Minor Character Death, Non-Consensual Blood Drinking, Orphans, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent Death, Past Character Death, Past Violence, Protective Siblings, Psychological Trauma, Secret Marriage, Tags May Change, Vampire Bites, Vampire Hunters, Vampires, Werewolf Bites, Werewolf is actually relevant for the first time in Wine Red history, Werewolves, all the chapter names are alcoholic beverages, also bloody, but if they do I promise I'll warn ahead of time, but it's still gonna be a bit spicier at times, classic vampire abilities, drabbly stuff, each chapter's gonna have a different tone some things might get saucy, hello these idiots love each other and get married I don't make the rules, if it's been associated with vampires it is here, like all of them - Freeform, no beta bc i'm lonely, okay thats a MAYBE on the smut, probably bloodier than Wine Red, probably just implied tbh, really bloody, shoutout to all y'all who commented on Wine Red, someone has just enough morality not to stab a child, there will at most be two chapters dedicated to any one plotline, these tags are all for chapter 3 i'm so sorry, theyre vampires what do you expect, this mostly takes place between chapters 12-13, this one's for you, werewolf is terrifying, which is why this has a mature tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2019-11-06 06:39:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17934719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkeletalConstellation/pseuds/SkeletalConstellation
Summary: What really happened to Sparkling and Vampire? Did they really perish in the fire? and who are Champagne and Merlot?Rosé explores the breadth of 53 years, and what monsters lurk in the gloom of the dark forest beyond the city.





	1. Wolf Bite Shooter

**Author's Note:**

> TOLD YOU IT WAS COMING! Rosé is here, a collection of short events that take place between chapters 12 and 13 of Wine Red, and some of what happens after. I have tried to pick titles based off what happens in each chapter, so check those out for some hints (and some really weird mixed drinks).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Werewolf warns the vampire trio not to go out when the wolfbane blooms. Driven out of his wits by cabin fever, Sparkling doesn't heed his advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is bloody! a little gross! Monsters fight each other!  
> also, watch me put my favorite vampire things from media in this because I can  
>  _also I'm so sorry my first chapter of this is this angsty_

“Don't care what you do in your spare time. Just don't go out when the wolfbane blooms.”

Werewolf had given the trio this warning when he first took them into his shack in the woods, a steely sternness in his voice. The three had agreed without further question- they had no right to judge or argue against this bizarre rule, being who they were. 

Sparkling forgot to ask which flowers were wolfbane- he'd mentally made a note to ask, but never got around to it- but otherwise, it seemed like a pretty easy rule to follow. 

They'd been stuck here for about two weeks now, and had gotten a little too comfortable in the shack. Vampire continued to search for a cabin they could buy or lay claim to, and Alchemist had gone off to find the infamous Dark Enchantress to find work, so Sparkling was alone most of the time.

And, if he was going to be honest, he was going stir-crazy in this tiny shack.

He hadn't gotten out a lot recently- or, well, at all- and it was driving him up a wall.

It was much too crowded when Vampire and Alchemist were still here- this hut was barely big enough for Werewolf alone; with all four of them there was barely any elbow room. However, with them all gone, it might as well been twenty times the size, given how empty it felt. The emptiness, which would have once been a saving grace to the introverted bartender, was now a prison, ripping him apart from the inside out. 

He needed air, he decided. It was night, so he didn't have to worry about the sun's deadly rays- he could just get out for a few minutes, then be back. It would be fine.  _He_ would be fine. 

He needed to get out,  _now._

 

The cold air soothed his frazzled nerves, cooling his head- the relief that came with freedom felt fucking  _fantastic_ after two weeks of being trapped in that shack. Although he mostly stuck to the trail, he had wandered far from the hut, his path lit by the light of a silver-dollar moon. This was just what the doctor ordered- a chance to stretch his limbs and actually enjoy the night.

A patch of small purple flowers caught his eye, and he kneeled down to pick them- their vivid hue was so very pretty in the moonlight, he thought he should take some home, maybe spruce up that horrible shack with some greenery. 

 

What a shame it was that Sparkling had never asked what wolfbane looked like.

 

A shadow fell over him, and Sparkling's heart got caught up in his throat. His sharp ears could hear the loud growling, his nose catching a whiff of hot, rancid breath.

He slowly turned, pupils narrowing to slits as he looked up at the beast behind him.

There stood a gigantic grey wolf, nearly the size of a horse, fangs bared at him. Sparkling felt a tremble run through his nerves, paralyzed by fear of a creature far beyond his calibur. 

The wolf lunged, grabbing Sparkling by the shoulder with a sickening _crunch_ and shaking him like a ragdoll. The fledgling shrieked, nails scrabbling for purchase against the wolf's thick fur, trying desperately to claw or scratch or rip it enough for it to let go, to no avail. He was outclassed, completely at the mercy of the monster wolf- and it showed no intent of mercy.

It let go of Sparkling, its jaws coated in thick, dark blood. Sparkling could feel it oozing from the lacerations that peppered his shoulder, a deep bite that, for all he knew, could have cut bone. \

As he lay there, whimpering in pain, the wolf struck again, grabbing is arm and pulling  _hard._ Sparkling shrieked, his free hand reaching up to claw at the eyes of the wolf, a desperate bid for salvation- if the wolf was blinded, he could escape, he could escape, run away, get far far away-

The wolf let go as his nails got close, then lunged again, snapping at him as he fended it off as best he could with his unbroken arm. He was fighting a losing battle, he knew it- he was just buying time at this point, praying to anyone for a miracle.

 

Suddenly, the wolf yelped, backing away from Sparkling. The bartender was extremely confused as he watched it yelp and snarl, snapping at his hindquarters- until he heard it. A low hiss, like that of an angered cat.

The wolf spun around, and Sparkling saw what was clinging to its side.

 

His saviour appeared to be a huge, demonic bat with deep red fur.

 

 

 

Vampire had been feeling pretty good- he'd successfully found his little family a place to stay, a cabin in the woods that was actually big enough for them, unlike that cramped little hut- when a sudden feeling of dread overtook him. He didn't know where it came from, but adrenaline was suddenly pumping through his veins, along with the overwhelming urge to protect Sparkling... Wait, what? Was Sparkling in danger? Oh gods above and below, he had to get there, he had to get back now-

Reacting on instinct, he bolted, rushing around the woods- letting his instincts carry him to his distressed fledgling. They did not fail him- he heard the sound of snarling, then saw the overgrown wolf attacking something- no,  _someone,_ with blond hair and terrified emerald eyes.

A sense of rage filled every fiber of his being, and Vampire snarled, lunging forward to attack the wolf.

_Nobody hurt Sparkling and got away with it. **Nobody.**_

 

 

Sparkling blinked, watching the scene before him, thoroughly stunned. He watched the wolf try to shake the bat off, to no avail. He witnessed the bat bite deep into the wolf's fur, leaving the wolf yelping and whining. When the bat let go, its mouth was coated dark red, blood staining the shoulders of the huge wolf.

The bat jumped off, gliding over to Sparkling. The bartender braced himself for an attack- but no attack came. As he looked up, he realized the crimson bat had put itself between him and the canid attacker, who seemed unwilling to strike out at the angered bat.

The wolf, realizing it had lost the fight, ran off, tail tucked between its legs.

 

The bat looked down at Sparkling, and he felt the fear rise again, though blood loss kept him from fighting back. he just looked away, ready for whatever the bat decided to do- it was over, he thought. Made one stupid mistake, and he was done for. 

He heard a soft squeak, then a weight pressed against him gently, and he cracked open one eye.

The bat had pressed its head against his sternum, looking at his bloody arm with mournful amethyst eyes. As the gears started turning in his head, the bat's body shifted, morphing into a familiar face he'd know anywhere.

"Vampire?"

Vampire choked up, then pulled Sparkling into a protective embrace, sobbing over his shoulder. "'M sorry... should've... should've gotten here faster... shouldn't've left you..."

Sparkling's vision was starting to get fuzzy at the edges, and he wrapped his uninjured arm around Vampire's shoulders weakly, doing his best attempt at a smile.

"You came back... for me?"

"Yeah.... Yeah, Sparkling, I'd never leave you... never forever."

Sparkling smiled, closing his eyes as he felt himself get lifted into protective arms.

 

"Thank you... Vampire, I... love you... Thanks..."

 

When Vampire looked down again, Sparkling was out cold, shock and blood loss pulling him into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for making it through this chapter, if you liked it please leave a kudos and a comment, I love reading what you have to say!
> 
> (Shameless self plug time)  
> If you want more sad pastries from me, consider checking out my other fics right here on Ao3!  
> And, if you want to check out my art, consider stopping by my blog, kettle-bird.tumblr.com !
> 
> Self plug over, hope y'all have a great day!


	2. Persephone's Elixir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alchemist sells her soul for financial stability

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dark Enchantress is mega creepy! It made me feel creeped out when I wrote her! Sorry!

Alchemist watched the woods grow darker, more foreboding, as she wandered deeper into their depths.

She'd been traveling for three and a half days at this point, and to say she was weary would be an understatement. Every step she took made her muscles scream in protest, and her eyes felt like they were closing by themselves, and yet she kept walking.

At least, until she tripped over her own feet, collapsing in a heap amid the dirt and leaf litter.

Alchemist lay there, losing her internal battle against the sweet temptation of sleep. Surely she could rest her eyes for a few minutes, right? She so desperately wanted-no, _needed_ sleep, surely she could get away with just a moment of shut-eye?

She let her eyes drift shut, curling up and drifting off right where she'd fallen.

  


Something prodded Alchemist's shoulder, and she blinked open her eyes, looking up at a strange woman poking her with her staff.

She sat up and tried to back away, but found herself trapped by some kind of hand-like plant, keeping her from escape. The strange woman took a step back, giggling wheezily.

“What- who are you?!”

The woman laughed harder, leaning heavily on her staff. “No, no no- no going to the dark,” she cackled, shaking her head. “Bad things- bad things in there! Bad things for pretty girls, go away!”

Ah. This woman was clearly completely insane. Alchemist tried to pry the plant-thing off of her, eventually managing to break enough off to stand up and back away from the crazy lady. “I'm sorry, ma'am, but I have to go there-”

The woman blocked Alchemist's path, giggling quietly the whole time. Alchemist was growing frustrated- she was still exhausted, and this woman wasn't helping her mood improve. “Please, ma'am, let me pass-”

“Matcha, what do you think you're doing?”

Before either Alchemist or the giggling lady could react, a red-sleeved hand had grabbed the staff and bopped it over Matcha's head. Matcha hissed, rubbing the mild injury and grabbing her staff back. A tiny girl, dressed in ruby jewels, glared at her. “Get out of here, you insufferable idiot. You know you're not supposed to be here.”

Matcha stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry, then scurried off, leaving behind nothing but her echoing laugh.

The ruby-decked girl turned to Alchemist, matching red eyes burning deep into the scientist's soul. “Come with me. My master is waiting for you.”

Alchemist nodded, thoroughly spooked by the young mortal's chilling glare. There was something very _wrong_ about her, some ancient dread Alchemist couldn't quite place, and it shook her to the very core.

She followed the girl through the dark forest, along the winding path that cut through the trees. Her steps faltered several times, her knees threatening to give out on her. The ruby priestess scowled, then looked for a branch, shoving it roughly into Alchemist's hands. “My master grows impatient, Alchemist. Do not dawdle.”

Alchemist looked up at her with exhausted eyes, leaning on the stick like a cane as she kept going. The priestess' footsteps were much fast than the scientist's, not counting her persistent weariness.

Just when she thought she couldn't take another step, the woods broke, the ruins of a black castle jutting from the earth like a thistle in a holy garden.

The priestess stepped forward, and the doors opened on their own. “Through here. Quickly now, keep up the pace.”

Alchemist followed her into the ruins, until they stopped in a huge circular chamber, dimly lit by an unknown source. A high throne was seated at the far end of the chamber, a smaller chair on one side and a cushion on the other, where the strange Matcha sat now, giggling to herself.

Alchemist's legs finally gave in, and she dropped to her knees, panting hard from overexertion. The ruby girl stepped forward, bowing before the throne. “Master, I have brought you the alchemist, as per your request.

“Excellent,” chuckled a voice, filled to the brim with poison. “Rest now, Pomegranate. You have done well.”

Alchemist's blood turned to ice, a cold Sweat forming on her neck as she heard that dark voice. She looked up slightly, watching a woman dressed in black glide forward, footsteps making no noise on the polished stone floor. She looked like a cobra, poised to strike, and Alchemist was her unfortunate prey.

Long fingernails brushed the underside of her chin, lifting it to look the Dark Enchantress in the eyes. “Poor dear, the journey must have been _difficult,_ ” she cooed, smiling in faux-gentleness that made Alchemist tremble like a deer in the headlights. “You must be starving… here, have a drink.”

She lifted her other hand, something deep red and wet held within her palm. She held it out, and the scent filled Alchemist with unbearable hunger and unshakable horror.

 

Alchemist bit her lip, trying to ignore the way her stomach growled at the sight of the heart.

Someone had died for this.

_It was the purest form of lifeblood._

The enchantress had slaughtered someone for it.

_If she refused, their life would be wasted._

 

Her conflicted mind finally gave in to her rabid hunger, and she took it gingerly, looking it over for a moment before biting into it, tearing up as she drained it of all its fluid.

Almost immediately, she felt all the weariness drain from her body, the soreness in her muscles fade to nothing, the exhaustion lift from her shoulders.

The husk dropped from her shaking hands, and she wiped her mouth off on her sleep, looking up into the eyes of the Enchantress. “How… How did you know I was a-”

“Oh, I know _lots_ of things about you, Alchemist,” she chuckled, slowly circling Alchemist like a shark. “I know your family's curse. I know you escaped to the woods to get away from your sins. I know your brother is currently tending the wounds of his little _mate.”_

The last word held fast in Alchemist's mind, a new realization dawning on her- the Enchantress didn't see Vampire as a person, she didn't see _any_ of her family as people. They were animals to her, beasts to be tamed or destroyed as she saw fit. Alchemist realized it was probably the same for the priestess now seated beside the throne- a loyal dog, and nothing more.

The realization filled Alchemist with far more fear than she'd ever felt before, a visceral horror that chilled her to the marrow and kept her frozen in place.

The Enchantress circled her, putting long-nailed hands on the scientist's shoulders, sending a shudder of discomfort down Alchemist's spine. “You know, I've always wanted a scientist on my roster, and I think you'd fit in perfectly around here. I promise, I'll pay you handsomely- twice whatever those wretched _wizards_ might have offered you. I'll even give you a… signing bonus.”

She pulled a small book that Alchemist immediately recognized, a book she thought she'd never see again, and flipped it to a page stained with splotches of red. "You are very clever, little Alchemist- figuring out this... loophole in your family's  _condition,"_ The Enchantress cooed, watching Alchemist reach for the book- only to pull it away at the last second. "Ah-ah-ah, you'll get this  _after_ you agree to my terms and conditions."

Alchemist swallowed, steeling her nerves. "Where do I sign?"

The Enchantress' smile widened, and she circled back around the scientist, pulling a scroll-like contract and a feather quill out of nowhere. "Sign on the line- in blood, if you will, the magic is bound by blood."

Alchemist carefully read over the whole contract- the fine print, the way every clause was written,  _everything_ \- then took the quill, pricking her finger on the point and carefully writing name in her tight, neat handwriting. 

The Enchantress grinned, rolling up the contract and tucking it away before handing the book to Alchemist. "Here you are, little Alchemist... I'll be in touch. Dark Choco!" She clapped her hands, a tall knight clad in black armor stepping from the shadows. "Escort our new friend home."

The knight nodded, bowing to the Enchantress before ushering Alchemist out of the ruins.

 

Alchemist followed the knight back outside, before freezing as they stopped dead in their steps and leaned down to grab Alchemist's shoulders. "You foolish child, you shouldn't have done that. You pitiful, foolish child." 

Alchemist froze up, before shrugging their hands off her shoulders. "I did what I have to. A job's a job, nothing more."

"No, you idiot-" Dark Choco hissed, fear and mourning in their intact eye. "Don't you see? It's  _never_ just a job! Don't you know you've sold your soul?!"

Alchemist swallowed, double amethyst meeting singular ruby with a look of dread. "But... I've been through worse..."

Dark Choco laughed at that, humorless and despairful. "You can't escape the Enchantress, little fool. We're all just pawns in her game- she doesn't care what happens to you, or me- hell, I doubt she cares more about that wretched priestess of hers than she would a particularly pretty jewel! You are in for hell..."

They leaned down again, that soulless red eye burrowing deep into Alchemist's being. "... I hope the price was worth it for you,  _scientist._ It sure as hell wasn't for me."

 

With that, they slunk back into the ruins, leaving Alchemist to make the journey back alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear these aren't all gonna be angsty 
> 
> Next Chapter's Name is Grape Juice, which is a hint to what goes down in it ;)
> 
> As always, leave a comment and a kudos if you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time.


	3. Grape Juice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old portrait sparks some painful memories for the Vampire siblings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place just before the fire in Chapter 12 of Wine Red! and... it's a doozy, apologies in advance, I promise next chapter is fluffy  
> there's a flashback to about 200 years ago, too, just so you know.

Vampire stared up at the large portrait, silently studying every detail of the faces of the family, keeping it ingrained in his mind. This precious heirloom was far too large to take with him, not where he was going. The flames would consume it, along with everything else, leaving it nothing but memory.

Alchemist cracked open the door, quietly clearing her throat. “Do you have everything you'll need?”

Vampire nodded, gesturing to a bag sitting on the floor next to him. She sighed softly, stepping into the room with him. “... It's a shame we don't have anything smaller of them.”

Vampire nodded again, still weirdly quiet. Alchemist's heart ached for her brother's sake- this wasn't the first time she'd caught him staring silently at this portrait, this picture proof of the existence of two long gone, but not forgotten. “I know… I miss them too, Vamp. I wish we could take it…”

Vamp swallowed, and Alchemist saw his eyes were shiny with unshed tears, lost in the memory of a night neither would ever forget.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The elder Vampire pulled his cloak around his shoulders, his vampiress adjusting her own hood to obscure her features. The call of a blood-red moon, an eclipse in the making, beckoned them to feed, and neither would deny their instincts.

He heard soft footsteps on the spiraling staircase, two sets of amethyst eyes peering out of the darkness. He smiled warmly, gliding over to his children, scooping them into his strong arms. “Hello, my little ones. What are you doing up so early?”

His son tried to escape his arms, and the Vampire chuckled, placing the boy on the ground. “I'm not a child anymore, father! I… I want to go with you, and Alchemist is hungry…”

The elder Vampire shared a glance with his vampiress, the latter leaning down to ruffle her son's already messy hair. “You know you're still learning to change, my heart. We wouldn't want any danger to come to you before you're ready to face it.”

“I know, mother, but- but I'm ready! I want to go out with you and father, and see the city- I'm getting better at shifting, look!”

The younger Vampire's face scrunched up in concentration, and for a moment he turned into his other form, wings flapping and keeping him suspended in the air for a split second before he fell into his mother's hands. She smiled gently at him, a smile of approval and pride. “You're doing wonderfully, my sweet. You'll come with us soon, I promise- but you must be patient.”

The tiny bat huffed, turning back into a young boy. "I'm tired of being patient..."

"I know, I know, my little one... we'll bring you both back something to eat, alright?"

The elder Vampire put his daughter down, the tiny girl skirting behind her older brother. "Take care of your sister while we're out, okay? We should be back in a couple hours at most."

"... Be safe, okay?"

"We will, my heart," the vampiress promised, kissing her son's forehead and following the elder Vampire into the night.

 

That was the last time Alchemist saw their parents, but not Vampire- but  _that_ memory would prove a deep wound in his psyche.

 

"They should be back by now..."

Alchemist looked up from her book at her older brother, who was looking through the nearest window in worry. Alchemist knew her brother could be a bit of a worrywort, so she went back to her reading. "I'm sure they'll be back soon... they're always back before dawn."

"I know, but they  _said_ they'd be back by now. Dawn's only in an hour."

"Mother and Father are immortal, Vampire. Nothing'll happen to them."

Vampire slumped against the window with an anxious huff. "They're not  _completely_ immortal..."

Alchemist ignored them, flipping the page in her book. Vampire, on the other hand, stood up, grabbing one of his father's spare capes from a closet- it was far too big for the young creature of the night, but he didn't care. Alchemist looked up, cocking an eyebrow.

"Where you going?"

"I... I'm gonna try to find them."

Alchemist put her book down, giving him a hard look. "They'll be mad at you for going out, you know."

"I don't care. I... I got a bad feeling in my gut."

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Vampire sneered at her, then disappeared through the door with a flurry of his cape.

 

 

 

There was blood, but not the usual kind, the kind that sustained them, kept them youthful.

This blood ran freely from a wound that ran deep through the elder Vampire's shoulder, the silver of the bullet leaching into his veins with every limping step. His vampiress followed behind him, gently guiding him through the dark alleys, hoping to lose their pursuer.

 

The night had quickly gone foul, the bloody hue of the eclipsing moon drawing more than the vampires out to feed.

 

A hunter had known, had  _planned_ this night, a gun loaded with silver in her holster and a wooden cross around her neck. Her first shot rang out right as the shadow of the earth fell over the moon, casting the world in unforgiving darkness that blinded even creatures of the night.

The vampiress cursed under her breath as her sharp ears picked up the sound of heeled boots on cold cobblestone, and she ushered her injured husband along urgently- she held onto the hope that she could lose the hunter in the darkness of the night and the twisting streets. 

Suddenly her eyes were blinded by a lantern as the hunter came around a corner in  _front_ of them, leaving her and her husband reeling away. She quickly steadied to herself, reddish fur sprouting along her body as she prepared to defend her husband with her life, if necessary.

The monstrous bat lunged at the hunter, fangs bared in terror and rage as she continued to move forward to finish off the injured vampire.

 

The hunter didn't flinch.

Suddenly, the vampiress froze.

Then, wit a soft gasping sound, she slumped backwards, falling to the ground in a crumpled heap, a wooden stake driven through her body by her own momentum. 

 

The elder Vampire stared in horror, then started to step backwards, his shock and injuries making his legs lock up. 

He didn't stand a chance of escape. In a swift whirl of skirts and cloak, the hunter gave him the same end, watching him fall gracelessly to the ground.

 

 

Vampire watched from the shadows as the hunter started walking away, waiting just long enough for her to be a safe distance away before quietly running over to his fallen parents. He looked at them in horror, twisted, crumpled, rendered lifeless by the hand of one who saw them as demons and nothing more.

He took a step back, starting to hyperventilate from the shock of the situation, young mind unable to process the scene in front of him. 

He sunk to his knees, cradling the cold body of his mother in his arms, her blood staining his clothing. All at once, his emotions unstuck, and he gasped, almost silently begging her to wake in his shaking arms.

The hunter whipped around.

He thought he was having a heart attack when she stepped forward, eyes locking with his.

She raised her lantern, banishing the comfort of the shadows. Vampire sat there kneeling, paralyzed and trembling, completely at the mercy of the hunter.

He saw the realization in her eyes as she saw him, saw the child in the oversized cape that so closely resembled the creatures she'd just slain.

 

She raised a hand to her mouth, then into her pocket.

 

Vampire closed his eyes and braced himself for the shot to come.

 

It never did.

 

He opened his eyes again as a small amethyst cross bounced across the cobblestone, landing at his feet.

He looked up at the hunter, who was taking shallow breaths, looking on the verge of tears herself- for how could she hurt a  _child?_ What _monster_ would leave something so _fragile_ an orphan?

"Leave now, poor wretched thing. There is nothing but death for you here-  _go!"_

 

He grabbed the cross, before his legs finally became responsive, and he ran off as fast as he could, not daring to look back.

 

 

Alchemist heard a thud against the door, and she ran to it, excited to greet her parents and brother- but only the latter stood at the door, stained red with blood.

His face was pale, and he was out of breath, leaning heavily on the door frame.

He took a wobbly step into the foyer, then just stood there, shock keeping his face stony and his eyes dull.

 

Alchemist shut the door, then hesitantly approached her brother. "... Where's mother and father?"

He didn't answer, just slumped onto the floor, loud sobs wracking his body. Alchemist's eyes went wide as realization dawned on her, clapping a hand over her mouth.

 

Neither of the now-orphaned siblings slept that day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vampire's fingers gently brushed over their parent's painted faces, a sigh escaping his lungs as he tried to quash the memory. "Do we have time for a drink? Because... because I think I could really use it."

Alchemist looked up at him, giving him a bittersweet smile. "Yeah... Yeah, you can grab a drink. We gotta wait for Sparkling, anyways."

 

She watched her brother stalk away, before she let out a breath. She'd have to remind herself to take the trip to the old holly tree they were buried beneath- it was long overdue, she thought.

Besides, after tonight, they'd finally have the time to make the journey.

 

Not like there was much else for dead men to do, after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'msorry
> 
> leave a kudos and a comment if you enjoyed, I love reading what you have to say!


	4. Dandelion Wine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vampire and Sparkling stumble through making wine, using what they can get their hands on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff time fluff time fluff time!! very short chapter, but I really wanted to get this idea down haha

“Wish I still had my wine cellar…” Vampire grumbled, draped across the worn couch they'd dragged back to the cabin. 

Sparkling looked up from rewrapping his wounded arm- the broken bones had healed surprisingly fast, but the actual teeth marks stubbornly refused to follow suit. “If I still had access to my home, I'd offer up my collection, but unfortunately that is not the case.”

Vampire whined, flipping onto his stomach and burying his face in his folded arms. “I'd even go for cheap stuff right now…”

“You can make homemade wine, you know.”

Vampire looked up, a glimmer in his eyes. "What you say?"

Sparkling smirked, pinning the bandage's end down. "People have been doing it for centuries- I know a few good fruit wine recipes, and I can brew house-made beer, but I'm not as good at it-"

Sparkling gasped as he felt arms wrap around his waist, a chin leaning on his shoulder. "Oh, my love, my light, my heaven on earth-"

"Yes, I'll teach you, dumbass," Sparkling chuckled, patting Vampire's head. 

Vampire stole a kiss on his cheek, whispering "thank you," in Sparkling's ear. 

Sparkling smiled, then winced as he jostled his arm. Vampire took notice, taking a step back. "Sorry, sorry..."

"It's alright, I'm okay... Just a little sore, still."

Vampire huffed, kissing his shoulder gently. Sparkling's heart melted at the gesture, and he feigned surprise. "You've cured me, Vampire! I'm all better now!"

Vampire smiled wickedly, taking the opportunity to pepper Sparkling with kisses. Sparkling giggled, shooting him an amused glance. "Alright- Alright, you want to learn winemaking or not?"

"Hell yeah. Teach me your secrets, bartender."

"Well, we're gonna need to gather some ingredients first..."

 

"I thought we were getting ingredients, not  _picking weeds."_

Sparkling plucked another dandelion bloom, adding it to his basket. "These  _are_ ingredients, Vamp. In fact, they're the main ingredient."

"... But wine's made of grapes..."

"Some wine is, yes, but not all of it. You can use almost any fruit- or flowers, in some cases. We're making dandelion wine."

"That's a thing?"

Sparkling nodded, pulling a couple more blossoms from the ground. "It is, and it's what we  _can_ make right now- we're a bit limited on ingredients anyways, and it's not like we've got a lot of money."

Vampire still looked skeptical, but kept plucking weed flowers and adding them to his own basket anyways- not like he was gonna question Sparkling's knowledge.

 

They laid out the the dandelions, along with sugar, yeast, and a few citruses Vampire had bought on their rickety table, waiting for the kettle of water that was on the fire to boil. Sparkling gently removed the flowers from their stems, discarding the latter into a bag of things to compost. Vampire sliced an orange, fascinated by the inner flesh of the fruit- he'd never one up close, having never needed to eat mortal food. "Are they always sectioned like this?"

Sparkling looked over and nodded, clearly amused by Vampire's curiosity. "The lemons are like that, too- all citrus fruit are."

"Huh. Weird."

Sparkling was about to respond, but his ears picked up the sound of bubbling water. "Oh! Vampire, help me move the kettle over here."

Vampire nodded, putting on an oven mitt and carefully picking up the kettle. Sparkling dumped all the flowers into a large mason jar, then gestured for Vampire to pour the water in after them. He did so, steam rising and water quickly staining with the color of the blooms.

After a few minutes, Sparkling strained the blooms from the liquid, adding in the other ingredients and stirring the mixture. Satisfied with his work, Sparkling covered the jar's mouth with cheesecloth, then tucked it away in a particularly shady corner of a cabinet. "Alright, now we let that sit for three weeks and clean up this mess."

Vampire looked mildly disappointed that he'd have to wait for his booze, but nodded. "Fine..."

Sparkling stepped closer to him, putting a hand on his cheek, a devilish glint in his eyes. "Don't worry, I think I know something to help you take your mind off waiting."

"What are you..." Vampire squinted, before realization set in, his face turning as red as his hair. "Oh..."

"Sound like a plan?" Sparkling smirked, to which Vampire nodded enthusiastically. "Good. Now... help me get everything cleaned up first, then we'll move onto that next...  _activity."_

The usually lazy Vampire didn't complain once about getting things sweeped up and put away.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for making it through, you know the drill, comment, kudos, I love your comments btw y'all are super sweet


	5. Italian Cream Soda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alchemist and Dark Choco bond over their predicaments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little interlude with the B team, starring me shoving implied darkwhip into everything

Alchemist looked up from her work, glancing at the knight standing guard by the door. It had been a week since she'd signed the Dark Enchantress' contract (and three days since she'd returned to her castle to begin work), and during that entire duration this knight- Dark Choco, she believed their name was- had tailed her, following her everywhere, watching her every move. It was, admittedly, a little annoying. 

She didn't like having everything she did tracked and analysed- it distracted her from her work and just generally creeped her out. Back when she worked for the Council, she had a certain amount of freedom and privacy in her work, which was obviously not the case here. 

Well, might as well make the best of it. 

“Dark Choco, was it?”

The knight glanced at Alchemist, then nodded stiffly, looking back up and away. Ah, cool. They did respond to questions. 

“... Why are you here?” She prompted, putting down the vial of acid she'd been working with. 

“... I am here to ensure you do not attempt to assassinate or betray the Enchantress until she deems you trustworthy,” the knight replied, their voice the epitome of monotony. 

“No, I mean- why are you working for the enchantress?” Alchemist pressed, closing her book with a snap and putting it down. “You don't seem particularly thrilled to be here, unlike some.”

Dark Choco was silent, staring at alchemist through their single sad ruby eye. Alchemist realized that might be a sensitive subject a moment too late, looking back down at her chemicals. “... Sorry, if that's a touchy sub-”

“I made a mistake.”

Alchemist looked up, surprised by Dark Choco's response. They weren't looking at her directly, instead they were staring almost  _ wistfully  _ out the window. “I wanted to be a hero… I was a knight, a long time ago. I thought… I thought if I could find this sword, a legendary weapon, that I could be that hero.”

“So…” Alchemist murmured, trying to read their tired face. “I'm guessing that you… didn't find the sword?”

Dark Choco chuckled, humorless and bleak. “Oh no, I found it alright… the Strawberry Jam Sword, right where the old legends said it would be.”

“Then… what happened?”

Dark Choco fell silent again for a long moment, before swiftly unsheathing their weapon. 

Immediately Alchemist felt that dread she felt around Pomegranate overtake her, only stronger,  _ much _ stronger. Red energy crackled around Dark Choco, their eye glowing with the same color. Outside, the sky grew dark and heavy with storm clouds, lightning flashing through them. 

Alchemist ducked for cover as a stray bolt of red magic hit her desk, burning a sigil into the wood. The wind howled through the window, a veritable hurricane centred around one person. 

Dark Choco sheathed their sword, and the storm dissipated as soon as the weapon was covered. 

Alchemist looked out from beneath her desk, finding the room had returned to normal, albeit covered in notes scattered by the wind. Dark Choco was looking at her, as melancholy as ever. 

“The sword is cursed, as you probably gathered,” they sighed, looking back out the window. “As soon as I took hold of it, I was enslaved by the darkness. It was nothing more than a trap, and I fell for it.”

Alchemist readjusted her hat, still a little shaken. “But… couldn’t you still leave? You seem like someone who could overpower the Enchantress, even without the sword-”

“Don't you see, fool? She controls the sword, and by extension she controls me,” Dark Choco growled, taking a step closer to Alchemist. “She knows my friends, my family, my  _ love.  _ If I left, they'll all die… They'll die on the end of this very sword, with their blood directly on my hands.  _ This  _ is what it means to sell yourself to the Enchantress.”

Alchemist shrank a little, very intimidated by the knight now towering over her. “I… I'm sorry, Dark Choco… That's awful.”

They took a breath, then stepped back, returning to the window to stare out of it. 

Alchemist tried to get back to work, even picking up the vial of acid again, but couldn't concentrate- not with everything Dark Choco had told her. She eventually gave up, glancing back at the knight. 

They were staring at something small that was hanging around their neck, that wistful look back in their ruby eye. Alchemist sighed, then stood up, walking to the window. 

Dark Choco didn't acknowledge her, still staring at the necklace in their palm- which, alchemist could now see, contained a small egg-shaped locket, made of what she assumed was rose quartz. 

“This was a gift from the man who holds my heart,” they murmured, turning it in their hand. “He gave it to me before I left, to remember him by. It's the only thing keeping me from running this damned sword through my body.”

Before Alchemist could ask what it was, they turned a small crank on the back, then opened the lid. 

A tiny rose quartz dancer spun on a lake of lapis lazuli, two opal swans swimming around his feet. Diamond stars twinkled behind him, adding to the serenity of the tiny scene. Tinkling notes of a music box played in a sorrowful symphony, an Alchemist could see a pearly tear welling in the knight's eye. 

“He was the best thing to ever happen to me,” Dark Choco whispered, voice wavering with years of grief and separation. “I would give my life to see him once more.”

Alchemist swallowed, putting a hand on their armored shoulder. “I… I'm so sorry.”

Dark Choco sniffed, wiping their eye and looking down at Alchemist with a much softer look than usual. “Its fine, …  _ I'm _ fine. But… well, I've spilled my life story onto you, but I still know very little about  _ you.” _

Alchemist swallowed again, looking out the window. “Guess you're right about that… well,where do I begin?”

“Maybe explain how a kid like you ended up in the forest in the first place.”

Alchemist bristled a bit, considering her words carefully before deciding  _ to hell with it, I'm talking to a guy with a cursed sword. _

“Well, for starters, I'm not a kid. Actually, I'm pretty damn sure I'm older than you.”

Dark Choco looked skeptical, quirking an eyebrow. “Oh really?  And how are you so sure?”

“Because I have yet to meet a mortal who's over two-hundred-twenty-four years of age.”

That  _ definitely  _ surprised Dark Choco, and they squinted at Alchemist, mind not wrapping around this new information about the scientist. “....  _ How?” _

“Well, my dear knight, I'm not exactly…  _ mortal _ . Neither is my brother or his boyfriend off in the woods,” she explained, adjusting her glasses. “We have been called many things- night creatures, blood drinkers, monsters,  _ Vampires.  _ We do not age, and by extent never die a natural death.”

Dark Choco just stared, thoroughly flabbergasted, so Alchemist continued. “My brother and I had been good at it, but we got sloppy- and then he managed to turn his boyfriend into one of us. Shit hit the fan, we had to fake our deaths and escape into the forest, all that jazz.”

“Alright, this… this is a lot to process…”

“Understandable, most mortals struggle with these concepts.”

“... Why are you working for the Enchantress, then?”

Alchemist shrugged, walking back to her desk. “I needed the money, but there's not a lot of work for dead girls with my talents.”

“Couldn't your brother find work instead?”

Alchemist scoffed, reading through the formula again. “Fuck no. Vampire's lazy as hell, you can hardly get him out of bed in the morning.”

“Wait a second… Is your brother literally named  _ Vampire?!”  _

Alchemist nodded. 

“Then how did no one figure out he was a-”

“People are dumb as bricks. Surely you know that.”

Dark Choco let out a sigh, nodding. “No wonder the Enchantress sent me to watch over you…”

“Don't worry, Dark. I won't bite.”

Dark's face immediately showed relief, and they lowered their gaze. “Thank you, Mistress Alchemist,” they mumbled, not daring to meet her eyes. 

“Of course,” Alchemist smiled, grabbing the vial of acid again. “I'd never hurt a friend.”

  
The word  _ Friend _ would ring I'm Dark Choco's head for a long time to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for making it through, if you enjoyed leave a kudos and a comment, and I'll see you next time


	6. Vampire's Kiss Martini

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vampire learns a valuable lesson in not letting your boyfriend get hangry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry 

“Slow down there, you're gonna wear a groove into the floor.”

Sparkling scowled at Vampire, but didn't stop pacing, hand clutching his injured arm in a failed attempt to keep his mind off the gnawing pain in his stomach. It had been several weeks since he last fed on the unfortunate Adventurer, and the hunger had become nigh unbearable in the last couple of days.

Vampire felt a bit guilty- he had fed while he was out looking for this cabin, while Sparkling had both gone hungry and sustained an injury in that time- he must be ravenous at this point. Alchemist had promised she'd bring the completed serum when she returned- but she had not been home in many days, and Sparkling's hunger was left unquelled.

The pacing had come with Sparkling's irritability, the once kind-hearted bartender becoming snappy and cold as the days passed.

Needless to say, Vampire was worried.

He knew that hungered glare all too well, knew how much pain his lover had to be in. It made his own heart ache to see him this way, and he knew he had to do something about it.

Vampire stood up, gently clasping Sparkling's shoulders and pecking him on the cheek. “Hey now, don't be like that… I'll get you something nice to tie you over until Alc gets back, alright?”

Sparkling glared at him, but his stomach growled and he sighed, too hungry to argue with free food. “Fine… but come back soon. I swear I'm gonna eat the couch if I have to wait any longer.”

Vampire chuckled, stealing another kiss before sauntering off towards the door. “I promise, I'll be back before you know it.”

 

Vampire had been gone for several hours now.

Sparkling curled in on himself, nails biting into his own skin as he fought through another pang of hunger. It was driving him out of his head, making him lose his calm and control over his instincts- the way he had the night he was fledged.

He growled at his inability to sleep, quite literally crawling up the wall and hanging from the rafters. This helped, but only a little, the hunger staying persistent.

That's when he heard it.

Footsteps outside, coupled with a clear heartbeat.

The door swung open, and the person stepped inside, looking around the dark cabin. They might have said something. Sparkling couldn't register it. He couldn't even register who it was.

He looked at the newcomer with the eyes of a predator, crawling along the ceiling and to the top of the door frame. An elegant hand closed the door, trapping the newcomer in the cabin, before dropping silently to the floor.

The other person started to turn, and Sparkling struck, grabbing them from behind and sinking his teeth into their unmarred neck.

Bitter blood hit his tongue, thick and syrupy, but he didn't care- he was too hungry to care. His prey didn't struggle, didn't even try to push him off… instead, they just reached up to pet his hair.

His eyes widened and blood ran cold when they whispered two words, voice wrought with bittersweet sadness- two simple words that brought his senses back to him, but too late to change this turn of events.

“Oh, Sparkling…”

 

The dead rabbit that had been in Vampire's other hand slipped from his fingers as he felt dizziness cloud his senses- is this how people felt when he attacked them? Huh. He could understand why people weren't a fan of this.

Sparkling had started trembling, still latched to his neck. Vampire made no attempt to stop him- hell, he wasn't sure he _could_ stop him with his lightheadedness. He smiled weakly, chuckling softly at his own predicament- funny how things worked out, wasn't it? Never once did he think he'd have the tables turned on him like this. It would be laughable if he wasn't so damn woozy.

He was fine with this. He'd failed to see how bad off Sparkling was, and now this was his comeuppance for his incompetence as a sire. He deserved this. He was fine with this fate.

 

Sparkling let go of Vampire's neck, canines stained deep red. Vampire stumbled back a bit, falling into Sparkling's arms. He looked up with a tired smile, eyes droopy with anemia. “Feelin' better, Sparky...?”

Sparkling was horrified, acutely aware of the strong taste of iron in his mouth and the still-bleeding wound on Vampire's neck. Vampire reached up and behind him to pat Sparkling's cheek, looking a step away for fainting right in his arms.

“Vampire… oh my gods, Vampire, I… I'm sorry...” he started tearing up, clinging to Vampire as if he'd slip right through his fingers. Vampire did his best to wipe away the tears with shaking hands, before falling limp in Sparkling's arms.

Sparkling stumbled as Vampire's full weight landed on him, barely able to hold him up. He gently lowered the semiconscious man onto the couch, then went to retrieve the first aid kit.

Vampire hissed as Sparkling pressed the alcohol-soaked cloth to his neck, cleaning out the bite- sparkling was relieved to find only his canines had broken skin, but he knew it would badly bruise. Satisfied with the job, Sparkling got out the gauze and medical tape, making sure the wound was completely covered and had pressure on it- he could see red already soaking into the white.

He then scooped up the groggy Vampire in his arms, carrying him gently to their bed and laying him down there- it was more comfortable than the couch, a better place to recover.

Vampire blinked at him, still disoriented, and weakly grabbed at his sleeve. Sparkling flinched away in shame, leading to Vampire giving him a needy look.

“I… I'm sorry…”

“Please… Stay with me?”

Sparkling swallowed, pulling himself away from Vampire. “I… I don't wanna hurt you again-”

“ _Please_ , Sparkling…”

Sparkling shook his head, too ashamed to even look at Vampire. “I'm sorry, I… I gotta step outside for a second. Sorry.”

Vampire gave him a mournful look as he left him, the door opening and shutting to leave the redhead in silent darkness.

 

Sparkling had been sitting on the stoop for almost two hours now, inconsolable over his actions. He'd betrayed his own damn boyfriend for gods' sake, and for what? Because he was hungry? Like that was any excuse for this transgression. He was a horrible person, he _knew_ he was a horrible person, and he deserved whatever the world threw at him.

Which, it turned out, was a purple-haired nerd.

“Gods above and below, what happened to you? You look terrible!”

Sparkling cradled his injured arm to his body, not looking up at Alchemist. “I… I fucked up, I really, really fucked up, fuck, I'm sorry…”

"What happened?"

"I... Vampire..."

Her eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Where is he?"

"Inside... I... I'm sorry-"

"Quit your blubbering, it's not gonna help anyone."

Sparkling looked away, shutting up without any further interjections.

"Good," Alchemist huffed, "Now show me what happened."

 

"Holy shit, you did a number on him."

Sparkling rubbed his injured arm gently, staring at the floor. "Is he gonna be alright?"

"He'll be fine," she reassured him, pulling a flask of red liquid from her bag and putting it on the nightstand. "A little sleep and a shot of this and he'll be right as rain."

Sparkling breathed a sigh of relief, before another bottle of red serum was pressed into his hands. “Drink this, then let me take a look at your arm. You reek of infection.”

“I'm not hungry…”

“At least cleanse your pallet. Vampiric blood is highly addictive, which is why we don't drink it. If you don't wash it from your mouth, you'll seek it next time you hunger.”

Sparkling shuddered at the thought, lifting the bottle to his lips and drinking the saccharine sweet mixture. Alchemist looked satisfied at his compliance, gesturing to his arm. 

He unwrapped the bandages, revealing the slightly swollen circles of pink around each toothmark. Alchemist crinkled her nose as he did, put off by the tell-tale smell of puss and old tissue fluid. “Fuck, yeah, that's infected alright. You  _ have  _ been cleaning it, right?”

Sparkling nodded, wincing as she took his wrist to get a better look. “Twice a day, like you said, with rubbing alcohol.”

“I see. Give me a second, I'll get you something to try.”

Sparkling watched Alchemist dig through her bag, grabbing a bottle of clear fluid and a few dried plants- a handful of white berries, then a few purple blooms, all of which were dropped into a mortar and ground with a pestle into a fine powder. She funneled the powder into the liquid, then added a capful of another potion, swirling them all together and corking the beaker. “Here. Use this like you would the rubbing alcohol, twice a day and thoroughly applied to all areas of infection. We don't want you losing an arm, now do we?”

Sparkling shook his head, still weirdly quiet. Alchemist looked him over, her expression softening. “Hey, he's gonna be alright, okay? If either him or me had been in your position, we'd probably have done the same. Bloodthirst isn't something you can just put off.”

“I know, I just… He was the one person I thought was safe from me. I thought- I thought being out here would keep me from hurting anyone else, and… and I feel… I feel like a failure, Alchemist. I failed  _ him. _ ”

“Hey, we all make mistakes, bud. I've made my share, if it's any comfort.”

Sparkling looked up at her. For once, the spitfire of a scientist looked small and fragile. “You have…?”

She nodded, looking off at nothing. “I don't trust myself with relationships. Every single one of my pursuits for love has ended with a funeral.”

“Alc… I'm sorry-”

“Oh, don't worry. I've long since come to terms with my nature, and I'm fine with my solitude. Besides, I still got my brother, even if he's a lazy jackass. I might not have romantic companionship, but I'm not alone.”

She smiled bittersweetly, looking over at Sparkling. “And now I've got you, too. You're a good guy, Vampire's lucky to have you.”

Sparkling swallowed, shaking his head sadly. “After what I did… I don’t even know if he’ll still want to be around me.”

“I’ve been stuck with him since birth, Sparkling. He won’t hold this against you.”

"I hope your right... fuck, I really hope you're right..."

 

Vampire blinked, curling in on himself- he felt weirdly woozy, and hungrier than ever. Hm, what was that? Something smelled good. Really good.

Someone handed him a glass, and he gratefully took it, gulping down the wine-red liquid. His hunger ceased, and the dizziness faded to nothing. Relieved, he looked up at the face of his keeper.

Sad emerald eyes looked down, the man smiling softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Sleeeeby... bu' I'm fine, thanks..."

"Do you need anything else, Vamp?"

Vampire shook his head, smiling groggily. "You're good enough..."

Sparkling swallowed, gently taking his hand. "I'm sorry... that I hurt you, Vamp. I didn't mean to..."

"Shush. Jus' stay with me this time."

Sparkling nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed. Vampire smiled, scooching over to his side. " love you, Sparks."

Vampire could have sworn he heard a soft waver in Sparkling's voice as he leaned down, whispering "I love you too" to the redhead.

 

He drifted back off to sleep, soothed by steady fingers carting through his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that it's angstier than the summary suggests   
> Anyways I love reading your comments so consider leaving one? Thankyou


	7. Harvest Moon Cocktail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moon is nearly full, and Champagne is feeling antsy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a brief interlude that takes place post-Wine Red, next chapter will be longer!

Champagne rubbed his temples, groaning softly at the migraine pulsing through his skull. He reached for the sachet in his pocket, dropping a few dried white berries into the glass of whiskey he was nursing and downing the whole thing. The mixture burned his throat and made his scarred arm itch, but the headache dissipated to nothing more than a low throb. Relieved, he leaned against the mini bar counter with a long sigh.

The moon was waxing. That much couldn't be denied.

Neither could the sound of familiar footsteps approaching him.

"Darling... Are you doing alright?"

Champagne huffed, leaning back into Merlot's arms. "Just feeling lunar fatigue, doll. It'll all be over after tomorrow night." 

Merlot smiled sympathetically, pecking his husband on the cheek. "You took your medicine, right?"

"Of course I did," he pouted, looking up into Merlot's eyes. "I'm just a little oogey right now..."

"Mhm. You're taking the night off work tomorrow?"

"Brookie's covering for me- I swear, that girl's a godsend," Champagne sighed, pouring himself another shot. 

"Mhm. Maybe you should take  _tonight_ off, too," Merlot suggest, eliciting a forlorned glance from Champagne. Merlot crossed his arms. "Don't give me that look, babe. I know you're exhausted- you shouldn't wear yourself thin like this!"

"I can't abandon the bar-"

"You're  _not_ , Champ. But you gotta take better care of yourself," Merlot reprimanded, gently squeezing his shoulder. "Full moon is tomorrow. I don't want you working yourself to death."

Champagne grumbled again, and Merlot kissed his forehead. "Hey, after tomorrow everything will return to normal and you can go back to work. Alright?"  


"Promise you won't make me take another day to 'recover'?"

"Hey," Merlot smirked, playing with Champagne's hair, "how long have we been married?"

"... Twenty-eight years?"

"Right. And have I ever intentionally broken a promise in all that time?"

"No..."

"I promise, after tomorrow you can go right back to your job. I'll even cover your shift at the bar tonight."

"...Fine. Deal."

 

Merlot smiled, standing up and starting to walk away. "Get some rest, love," he purred, turning on his heels as he reached the door to look back at Champagne. "Big night tomorrow, you'll need to keep up your strength."

Champagne's scars itched again, and he knew Merlot was right. Might as well take it easy- he wouldn't be able to tomorrow, after all.

 

The full moon would soon be on the rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> something interesting is gonna go down next chapter  
> If you enjoyed, leave a kudos, and if you have any thoughts leave a comment, I love reading what you have to say!


	8. Moonshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month after Sparkling got attacked, a full moon rises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _here it comes kiddos_

The night breeze called to him as he sat alone by the open window.

The moon hadn't risen yet, and the sun was yet to fully set, and yet the pull was still there, urging him to  _follow, follow me home._

He didn't know why he thought of home when he heard its call- hell, he didn't know what  _home_ meant. And yet, it was there, urging him to leave the safety of the cabin and wander into the vast unknown of the night.

 

"Sparkling? You okay, love?"

He looked up, shocked out of his trance by the gentle voice. "Yeah, yeah, I... I am, I'm fine, just daydreaming..."

The very vampire that had first cursed him now sat down by his side, putting a careful hand on his face. "You've had that distant look since yesterday, Sparks..."

"I've just got a migraine, Vamp. I'll be okay soon, don't worry."

Vampire's expression registered as cold and sorrowful in Sparkling's eyes; he knew Sparkling wasn't telling him everything, and yet, Sparkling reasoned, what else was there to tell? "Don't pout at me, Babe... I'm sure it'll go away soon."

"I don't like it when you're hurting... I can feel it in my bones, you know. I know something's wrong with you."

"Well, I think I'm peachy, other than the headache," Sparkling teased, glancing back out the window.

 

The moon was just on the horizon, and he could feel the wounds on his arm sting. He hissed, clutching at the bandages, the pressure from the wrappings making each tooth mark itch and burn. It had been slowly healing since Alchemist gave him the new ointment, the infection had cleared up and everything, but now in this moment it felt fresh, the way it had when he first got it a month ago. 

Maybe he was hallucinating, but he swore it had started bleeding again, pinpricks of red soaking through the bandages.

 

"I-I got to get some air."

Sparkling stood, despite Vampire's protests, and stretched, ignoring the fact that his own limbs felt alien to him. "I'll be back soon... I just need to get out of the house for a bit, ok?"

Vampire pouted, slumping on the couch. "Fine... please be safe, okay? I don't want you getting hurt again..."

"I will. Promise, I'll be back before you know it."

 

 

 

_He took another step, each one feeling heavier than the last. The moon was starting to peek through the branches, its cold beams freezing him to the core and burning him alive all at once, and yet he still kept walking._

_He had to find what the night had called him out to seek._

_He was close to it, he knew that much._

_Another step, and he stumbled, falling to is knees amidst the leaf litter and night blossoms. He tried to stand, but could not, frozen in place by the moon that rose over the clearing he was now in._

_Was this another vampire thing, he questioned, or was it something else? Never had the night pulled him in such a way, never had the moon ached as it washed over his shoulders._

 

_He hissed as the burning became more intense, the moon's full glory now completely over him._

 

_The burning turned white-hot, and he shrieked, feeling every bone in his body start to snap and dislocate, breaking and healing themselves within seconds. He could feel his muscles tear and tendons snap, before stitching themselves back together into a new, alien form._

_His skin stretched far beyond its limits, threatening to rip but never doing so. Golden hair spread across his form, the last shreds of clothing he'd been wearing drifting to the ground in shreds of linen and velvet._

_No transformation had ever been this painful. Turning into a bat was instantaneous and without drawback, simply willing yourself from one form to another._

_He could taste his own blood on his teeth, iron flooding the long muzzle._

 

_Not once since the day he was fledged did he feel hunger as intense as he did now._

 

 

 

 

 

Alchemist was walking home through the night, a book bound with the portrait of a wolf on its cover, when she heard the howl.

Well, it wasn't exactly a howl.

The sound sounded like a blend between a howl, a hiss, and an inhuman scream, a sound that sent chills down her spine and filled her heart with terror.

 

She was too late.

 

She gripped the book, then took off running- she needed to get home to her brother  _now._

 

 

 

 

 

Werewolf left the stash of clothes and mortal food behind as his transformation came to a halt,  taking in the world with altered senses. Everything was a little brighter, the air a little crisper, the smells of the forest more fragrant. This was the one time he could live free, unburdened by the guilt and loneliness that plagued him the rest of the month. This was the one time he was free to be himself.

His nose caught whiff of deer blood, and he started following the scent, stomach growling at the proposition of food. 

Through the trees and between the shrubs laid his prize, the fresh carcass of a young doe, its guts spread across the forest floor. However, it wasn't unguarded. 

A beast fed there, smaller than werewolf but still wolfish- on first glance, at least.

At a second glance, one would see the thing was unlike any wolf to ever live.

Blood coated a muzzle full of needle-sharp teeth, acidic green eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Bat-like ears swiveled forward as it heard Werewolf's footsteps, and it snarled, putting a taloned, hand-like paw on the carcass to protect it from the newcomer. Its hackles raised, several quill-like hairs sticking up out of its golden scruff.

 

This was no wolf. This was a hellhound.

 

Werewolf circled cautiously, sizing up the smaller canid. The hound snarled, but its ears flattened and its tail tucked between its legs- it was terrified. Werewolf chuffed, and the hound backed down, backing away into the shadows of the woods.

It disappeared, and Werewolf moved in to claim the deer and quell his hunger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

" _You_ have to go find him. He could be hurt, and he's probably scared."

Vampire fidgeted, looking around the cabin. "He said he'd be back soon, Alc. I don't  _own_ him."

"Trust me," Alchemist growled, getting right in Vampire's face. "You have to get him home. I don't have time to explain, but you have to trust me on this."

Vampire  _had_   had a bad gut feeling all night, similar to how he had felt when Sparkling had been attacked a month ago, albeit less intense. With that in mind, he nodded, adjusting his cape and hurrying to the door.  

 

 

 

 

Vampire drifted through the woods, searching the trees for the wandering fledgling. He had to admit, he was thoroughly creeped out. Something was  _wrong_ with this whole thing- maybe Alchemist was right, in which case he hoped to find Sparkling soon. Whatever. He just had to find Sparkling and get home.

Unfortunately, he wasn't watching his footing.

He felt his ankle twist under a root, and he faceplanted onto the forest floor. As he sat up, he could feel his face was scraped, the bridge of his nose stinging with blood.

He started to look up, but stopped as his eyes met a set of talons.

 

A wet nose on the end of a long muzzle sniffed his face, then a wet tongue darted out, licking the scrape clean. Vampire shuddered, daring to look up into the eyes of the creature.

He was met with shining emerald staring down at him, and Vampire's blood ran cold. It couldn't... It couldn't be...

The creature snorted, then turned, trotting away from the stunned Vampire. Vampire regained control of himself a moment too late, reaching towards the retreating canine to no avail.

The hound gone, Vampire got up on shaking legs, then started in the general direction of the creature, hoping to find it again- and, if he was right, find Sparkling, too.

 

 

 

 

 

_The hound limped through the woods, its old bite wounds bleeding and aching. Now walking on four legs, it had to put pressure on the wound, and it couldn't help but whimper in pain. It was tired, so very, very tired. It wanted to lay down and rest its emerald eyes, the night's ordeal having worn it down to an extreme degree._

_With a huff, it slumped down, laying in a patch of soft purple flowers bathed in moonlight. The hound curled in on itself, eyes drifting shut. Under the gentle moonlight, the beast slept._

 

 

 

 

 

Vampire hissed as a stray beam of morning light hit his face, pulling the hood of his cloak a little more over his face- he was glad the forest was dense enough to block most of the sun's rays, but the occasional break in the leaves still stung when he happened to pass through them. He was getting tired- he'd chased that wolf-thing through these cursed woodlands all night with no luck, and he was worried about what would happen to Sparling if he couldn't find him.

He looked ahead, then froze, seeing a figure lying still on the ground beneath a large tree that was dead ahead. Energy renewed by fear, he darted forward to investigate.

Surrounded by wilted blooms of wolfbane was Sparkling, curled up naked on a bed of moss and flower petals. Vampire breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he saw the gentle rise and fall of his fledgling's chest, reaching a hand to gently shake his shoulder.

Sparkling cracked an eye open, still clearly sleepy, then curled up further with a sigh. Vampire took off his cape, then wrapped Sparkling in it and picked him up. "C'mon, Sparks. Let's bring you home." 

Sparkling didn't open his eyes, but clung to the velvet cape, falling fast asleep in his arms.

 

Vampire didn't know what was going on, or if he was really holding the creature he saw in the woods.

 

All he cared about was that Sparkling was safe. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woof.
> 
> (Kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!)


	9. Sinners and Saints

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why did Pomegranate join the Dark Enchantress so easily?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: this chapter hints at past physical abuse, reader discretion advised 
> 
> Shorter Alchemist chapter, hope you enjoy!
> 
> Edit: I ended up doodling something for this chapter, check it out here: https://kettle-bird.tumblr.com/post/183981635302/tell-me-alchemist-is-it-blasphemy-to-wish-pain

“I've been instructed to find out what act of blasphemy you are currently committing.”

Alchemist didn't look up, though her frown deepened at the scornful voice. “Hello to you too, Pomegranate.”

“I don't know why our dark lady even bothers with a  _ scientist  _ like you. Your kind has no respect for the gods, so I question her respect for you.”

“On the contrary, Pomegranate, I personally pay nightly tribute to the Lady Moonlight. She is the patron of all Arcana, and thus I am doubly obligated to thank her. Besides, to call me a blasphemer is hypocritical, after what  _ you _ did to your own people.”

 

Pomegranate sputtered, ruby eyes gleaming with deadly rage. “ _ Who _ told you?!” She hissed, the short girl storming closer. “Answer me, demon!”

“Oh, I just did my research,” Alchemist shrugged, looking up to meet the priestess' eyes. “I know you betrayed your sacred tree the moment the Enchantress showed up, offering the village of your birth as sacrifice to Her. You forsook the very god you'd sworn to protect for a force of despair and death. And thus, you are more of a blasphemer than I have ever been.”

Pomegranate looked shocked, mouth agape and wordless with indignation. Alchemist took the opportunity to rub salt into the wound. “Why'd you do it, anyways? Why would you betray the most powerful god of them all for a cruel naysayer?”

“It was the only choice I had!” She snapped, face reddened with fury. “Do you know what it's like to be one part of a prophecy? To have your future betrayal foretold? They treated me like a threat after that day, Alchemist. They treated me like I had already betrayed them- they made me suffer under them for  _ years _ for a crime I had not yet committed! They stole any semblance of childhood from me in an attempt to keep me under their control- so I stole their lives in return! The Enchantress offered and end to my suffering- now tell me-” she leaned in close, wincing slightly as she put her hand on Alchemist's desk- “tell me you wouldn't do the same if it were you in my place.”

 

Alchemist blinked, noticing Pomegranate's wince and keeping it at the back of her mind. “I know my way around dirty looks and hatred, Pomegranate. May I remind you of what I am?”

“Oh, I know your nature, Demon,” Pomegranate sniffed, holding her arms close to her body- a detail that was not lost on Alchemist. “I know you take innocent lives to feed your own rotten heart.”

“So do you and you master.”

 

Pomegranate froze again, looking down. “I must follow her,” she mumbled, holding her sleeve-covered arms closer to herself almost gingerly. “She saved me from them.”

Alchemist got that feeling of something being wrong again, deep and slimy and cold in her guts. “What did they do that warranted ‘saving'?”

Pomegranate looked away, then slowly rolled up her sleeves. 

Alchemist stared, blood running cold. 

The young priestess' wrists had rings of scar tissue around them, suggesting bonds she had struggled against. Running up her arms were marks made to look like tree bark, stripes and whirls intricately carved into her skin. Small tattoos were littered between the scars, sigils and symbols that Alchemist knew were meant to repel evil and seal the soul to the body. Each palm contained a larger tattoo of a closed eye, a symbol of the ever sleeping Millennial Tree. 

Alchemist felt silent horror as she looked over the story of cruelty permanently written on Pomegranate's arms. Pomegranate, however, did not even look in their direction, her eyes shut. 

“I prayed for the tree to save me every night,” she spat, seeming a lot smaller, a lot more  _ lost _ as she did. “He never did. He never even sent me a sign that he cared.”

She let her sleeves unfurl back over her arms, opening her eyes. “Tell me,  _ Alchemist _ , is it blasphemy to wish pain upon those who hurt you?”

Alchemist shook her head, feeling like she was short circuiting. “I'm so sorry… I know, mortals can be terrible, they… they seek to destroy what they cannot understand, and I'm so very sorry you happened to be unexplainable. I wish it had never happened to you. I really, sincerely do.”

Pomegranate sighed, then straightened her back. “You still haven't told me what you're working on. The Enchantress needs to know what she's paying you for.”

“Oh- oh, of course. I'm working on making the red blight into a serum, as requested. A prototype should be complete by the end of the weak, assuming there's no major setbacks.”

“Excellent. I'm sure my Dark Lady will be pleased with your progress.”

 

Pomegranate turned on her heels and started swiftly walking away. 

“Wait, Pom-” 

She froze, not looking back. “Yes?”

“Thank you for telling me.”

“Whatever.”

With that, she was gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, if you enjoyed leave a kudos and a comment, I love reading what you have to say! 
> 
> Next chapter will be fluffier I promise.


	10. Amontillado

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alchemist finds out a secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two alchemist chapters in a row? In my Rosé? It's more likely than you think. 
> 
> Shorter chapter but I had to get it out, that new DC costume has me feeling feelings

Alchemist packed a couple bottles of her strange concoctions into Dark Choco's bag, preparing for their journey out into the world- a mission for the Dark Enchantress to retrieve a sacred text,  a journey no doubt perilous in nature. Alchemist couldn't help but worry for the knight- they'd become close friends over the months Alchemist had worked here, and Alchemist had secretly sworn to herself that she'd do everything in her power to free them from their curse. 

Even so, she thought there was something they weren't telling her. 

Maybe it was the sadness that flashed across their face when they passed a mildewed portrait in the halls. Maybe it was the nostalgic look they always had when roaming the ruined castle. Maybe it was the way they knew every nook and cranny of the place better than the rest of its residences. 

Whatever, she had to deliver the bag to Dark Choco. Couldn't have them dying on their journey, now could she? 

Unfortunately, she didn't know the old castle ruins as well as the others yet. 

By the time she realized she wasn't where she was supposed to be, she was thoroughly lost, unable to navigate the twists and turns of those dark, desolate halls. Portraits of strange and long-dead kings lined the wall, yellowed with age and covered with dust and grime. Alchemist was getting increasingly nervous, but also more curious, the mystery of it all keeping her going through the dark hallway. 

Eventually, she reached a door, large and grand and carved beautifully. 

She tried the doorknob. 

It was unlocked. 

The heavy door swung open with some effort, creaking open to reveal a dusty, cobweb-covered bedroom- but Alchemist knew right away that back in it's day it would have been fit for Royalty. The bed was huge and canopied, and brushing away the thick layer of dust revealed fine silk sheets and a velvet comforter. A suit of white armor sat on a stand nearby, along with a sword mounted on a wall, both of their beauty tarnished with age. A large table was in the corner, a map rolled out over it with the darkest parts of the forest circled. 

And, on the wall, was a portrait of a young prince.

The prince was smiling smugly, a determined look in their ruby-red painted eyes. Their sword and armor matched the ones currently left to rust in the corner. Their long, streaked hair was painted in perfect strokes that made Alchemist shiver in shock. 

Prince Dark Choco smiled eternally from their frame, their unmoving face making Alchemist's brain short-circuit. 

Dark Choco was Crown Prince Choco.  _ Dark Choco was Crown Prince Choco.  _ Dark Choco was the crown prince of the Cacao kingdom that mysteriously collapsed years ago. She was standing in that kingdom's castle. Dark Enchantress was hold them prisoner in their own home. There were so many levels of  _ wrong _ to this. 

She stepped back with shaking legs, then bolted, running from that place as fast as her legs could carry her. 

She could never let them know what she knew. She would keep this burden alone. 

Poor, poor Dark Choco. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know the drill, kudos/comment if you enjoyed, and I'll see y'all soon with your regularly scheduled entertainment


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